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Where Peace Lies
Act 1 "St-Stay the hell away from me!!" Trapped within one of the numerous spires that dotted the ever-expanding landscape of Hueco Mundo, a lone Wandenreich soldier backed himself into a corner. His head and uniform drenched with sweat and the blood of his fallen comrades, whose bodies littered the floor around him, he could only shiver and look on in terror at the culprit behind this horrific act of violence. A tall Arrancar casually approached the lone soldier, accompanied by a smaller, petite Arrancar woman. Their slow and methodical pace among this place of death was a cold and eerie sight for anyone present, especially the soldier. "I cannot help but find this whole situation rather humorous..." The taller Arrancar spoke, his voice resonant and cold. "You and your comrades took shelter here to find cover from a sand storm, and here you ran into me." One could not see it, for the Arrancar's entire face was concealed by his Hollow-Mask remnants, but a smile crept upon his lips. "You would have been safer in the storm." The Quincy gritted his teeth in anger, the sight of his allies being so mercilessly cut down as if they were weeds in a field being too much for him to bear. With a vicious yell, the soldier's body became alight with "Blut Arterie" veins and he formed his Spirit Weapon; what appeared to be a musket rifle of sorts. But just as the weapon finished forming, the man found that his entire body ceased all forms of movement. His eyes widened in shock as his Blut Arterie remained active, but out of his control. "I am also curious if "Yhwach" was capable of doing this..." The Arrancar mused aloud, his right index finger pointing directly at the soldier. "I imagine it would make any insubordination impossible, but if he couldn't do it and I can, that would say quite a lot about your stubborn and annoying little species." It was there that the soldier came to a horrific realization: The Arrancar could manipulate Reishi just like any other Quincy, but this particular Arrancar had found a way to manipulate the Reishi within one's blood veins while using Blut. He cursed himself inwardly for activating his Blut Arterie, for he had now damned himself to rest alongside the rest of his fallen brothers in arms. The Arrancar raised his right arm straight out towards the soldier, forming an indigo-colored blade of Spiritual Energy around his hand and aiming it straight at the soldier's throat. The Quincy then started to slowly and uncontrollable walk towards the blade, stuttering and whimpering all the while. The smaller Arrancar woman simply looked away, knowing what was to come, as the soldier inched closer and closer to the sword. "P-Please don't!!" The Quincy begged and pleaded, but the Arrancar known as Cervantes did not budge as he continued to force the soldier closer. Finally, the blade's tip just barely pierced the man's throat, before he started to steadily walk fully into it, the blade cutting into his throat and chest like it were mere butter. The man's pleading and begging was replaced by gasps and blood-filled gurgling as he was fully impaled on the sword. While he were still conscious, Cervantes casually reached down and grabbed the soldier's rifle, dispersing the Reishi that composed it to reveal the Cross that originally served to form the weapon. "I suppose we can make use of this." He said calmly, looking over the cross as he dispersed the energy that composed his blade and causing the soldier's body to slump lifelessly on the ground. Roka, the Arrancar woman, still couldn't bring herself to look at the aftermath, causing Cervantes to turn his attention to her. "Something wrong?" He asked. "I... Master... if I may ask you of something..." She said meekly, before turning her head to just barely glance at him. "...could you please not do that... not in front of me at least?" Cervantes looked down at her, before looking back at the cross. "Hmph, as you wish." He said, his tone slightly annoyed. "But know this; for us to achieve our goal of peace, actions such as this will be necessary." He turned back to look at her. "There will come a time where things like this will be commonplace. You must be ready for when that time comes, daughter." She looked down solemnly, still not used to be called that. "...Yes. I understand... Master." "Arrancar." The moment their conversation stopped a mellifluous, yet firm voice called out to them. Amongst the terrible slaugher there was a third person still breathing left in the room, one who had appeared some time prior, virtually unnoticed. A person almost as diminutive and fragile as the petite woman whom Cervantes would call a daughter. However, their child-like stature and youth were contrasted with the earnestness of their face expression, backless combat attire which heavily resembled the uniform of , and a held tight in one of their hands, even if sheathed. The onlooker was unusually pale, their asymmetrically cut hair jet black with grey highlights; all that rendered the focussed stare of their cerise eyes all the more piercing. "May I please speak to you for a moment?", they asked as they began walking across the corpse-strewn room with a kind of natural grace which indicated that was not their first time doing such a thing. "I am Muto. I am an envoy, and I would like to discuss certain matters with you." Eventually, they halted a scant couple of metres in front of the tall Arrancar. They stared up at the featureless plate which concealed his face without a hint of fear. They did spare a glance at Roka, however, and their face expression softened noticeably when they did. Even though they displayed no obvious Hollow hole, and the sole thing that could pass for an estigma was a beauty mark on their left cheek, the one who had introduced themselves as Muto did possess a prominent, Hollow-like horn that protruded from their forehead, gently curved. But were they an Arrancar, or something else? Their spiritual pressure was rather indistinct. "What does the "peace" you speak of entail?", they asked, and their eyes narrowed ever so slightly. Cervantes' attention quickly darted towards the "new" arrival, having actually managed to be fooled into thinking that they weren't there. It was to be expected of course; there wasn't a need for him to use his Pesquisa up until this point. Still, the fact that they had remained out of his sight and senses painted a pretty picture of what this being was truly capable of. Roka, meanwhile, quickly hid behind her "father" out of instinct, being far more taken aback than he was about the surprise arrival of this being. Upon making eye contact with Muto, Roka's eyes darted away, for with one simple look she knew that they were unlike anything she had ever witnessed before in all of her years, and it frightened her. "Master..." She said with a quiet whisper, peeking out from behind his black shoulder cape. "...who or what is she?" She asked, unsure of Muto's gender and simply assuming that they were female. Her master remained stoic as he turned to fully face Muto, his left hand resting calmly on the pommel of his sheathed Zanpakutō. With a flicker of his Pesquisa, he quickly started gauging both their power and nature. Shinigami...Quincy...Hollow... Muto was not merely a member of the Onmitsukidō as their appearance would initially imply, but rather a complete hybrid, not at all unlike one Hikone Ubuginu. Muto couldn't see it, but this revelation caused Cervantes to flinch with annoyance. "An abomination." He muttered to her lowly. Composing himself, Cervantes spoke clearly to Muto, seemingly addressing them as an equal. "Ah, it's a pleasure to make your acquaintance... mister or missus Muto? I apologize for the confusion, as I don't wish to address you improperly." He began, placing his right hand on his chest and bowing briefly. "The peace that I seek will simply entail whatever it is that I will it to. May I inquire who you are to ask such a question of me?" He finished, his last sentence carrying a clear hint of condescension. "I believe I have already introduced myself... Arrancar", repeated Muto, their brow furrowed. "A Hollow who obtained the form and powers of a Shinigami. You, in particular, have acquired some skills typically displayed by the Quincy, as well." They began pacing in front of the tall man, walking among the corpses. They looked at the splatters of crimson blood, gaping wounds, stiff faces contorted in grimaces of dread or anguish, the lifeless eyes. Stance, minor gestures, inquisitive impulse of spiritual pressure, the tone of voice, and the words spoken as he addressed his companion, and then Muto. The things he had done. Even though the fact his face was completely covered was an inconvenience, it was not a major hindrance. The envoy was quick to form a quite complex opinion about their interlocutor, and on the verge of acting upon it. But there was this one detail, a thing of such stark contrast that they continued the conversation instead, curious. "Are we not too similar for you to denounce me as an abomination?", they asked after a short pause, their voice mild, measured. "Or is there, perhaps, something which causes you to consider yourself... superior, regardless?" At that point Muto finished their eerily casual walk among the bodies to face Cervantes again. Suddenly, their kaiken morphed into the form of a , they lifted their arm, and they unfolded the fan in order to... cover their mouth in a lady-like fashion. "Pray tell, what is it?", was the question that followed, as their reddish eyes gazed at the Arrancar man from above the depiction of a moonlit meadow upon their fan's cover. "The difference is quite clear to me." The fully-masked Arrancar responded, his hand calmly departing from his chest. "I give myself purpose, and in turn my war for peace is righteous. You however are one who has had purpose forced upon them; an existence that came about purely because of the desires and wants of others. A tool." He finished in a surprisingly blunt manner. He began to walk around the area, keeping his attention focused firmly on Muto's form while Roka quietly kept up with him. "Now, allow me to rephrase my earlier question: On whose behalf do you approach me, inquiring about my goals? You are Shinigami, Quincy, and Hollow, yet I see no hint nor trace of the Gotei 13, Espada, or the Wandenreich anywhere on you." He tilted his head as he asked his final question. "And since we both know that you did not come about naturally, you're clearly here to do someone else's bidding, like any other tool. Am I incorrect in this assumption?" "I am afraid you are not quite as correct about me as you would like to think, Arrancar", replied Muto, leisurely waving their ornate fan. They kept their cerise eyes fixed on the pair, following their every motion whilst projecting an air of composure, but undeniably attentive. Their fringe, which partially obscured the right side of Muto's face, was gently tousled by the air fanned by their gunsen, and a pleasant fragrance began overtaking the metallic stench of blood present in the room. "I was born of a mother, unlike you", they added matter-of-factly. "And my foster parents have raised me well. Considering this error of judgement, and the... inefficient way in which you evidently strive to establish that which you call "peace", I am inclined to doubt the accuracy of your claim to superiority." They continued observing the pair of Arrancar with scarcely any move on their part, sans the waving of their fan. Light, measured, almost hypnotising flicks of their wrist, one after another. The bleakness of the environment seemed no longer so austere, and the mauled corpses on the floor no longer stood out so much. "In light of this fact, based on my own judgement, I deem you unworthy of divulging the identity of my superiors to. Do you disagree?" There they stood, uttering harsh words with that soft voice of theirs, in an oddly mild tone. Slowly, ever so slightly, the air around them started undulating with a faint, purple glow. They made no abrupt move, performed no attack, but there was something deliberate, something implicit in their behaviour no doubt; a veiled threat. Muto once again wouldn't see it, but a slight smirk would creep upon Cervantes' face. "Ah... well, you are just full of surprises, aren't you?" He said as his left hand finally left the pommel of his sword and started to raise upwards. Roka, realizing what her master's intentions were, braced herself, for while things between him and Muto were not about to get necessarily violent, he was about to employ methods that she had tried to hone herself to resist. "In fact, your habit of disproving my assertions has given me an idea." He continued as he held his left hand, before clenching it into a fist. Upon doing this, Cervantes' entire being became alight with a deep pink aura, and his monstrous Spiritual Energy began to spike. Releasing a deep pulsing sound, the Arrancar's Spiritual Pressure would almost instantly flood the interior of the room, creating what would initially feel like an incredibly uncomfortable and dense atmosphere. Roka was inwardly grateful that her "father" had helped temper her resistances to the overwhelming nature that otherwise accompanied the release of his Reiatsu, for if he hadn't, she would no doubt have collapsed under its sheer weight and density. Muto, however, would be experiencing a much different feeling. While they would no doubt be unwavered by the supposed display of power, they would find that being exposed to his Spiritual Pressure was having a strange side effect, to say the least. Rather than feel anything resembling dread or despair in the face of such a great Reiatsu, Muto would, assuming they hadn't already somehow prepared themselves, gradually find their annoyance and displeasure of Cervantes slowly becoming replaced by a budding sort of obsession with him. What would start as mild curiosity would steadily develop into an outright need for him, being hit with an absolute and overwhelming desire for him and to indulge his every wish and command. An Intoxication for him, if you will. "Now..." He resumed, letting his left hand rest once again on the pommel of his sword. "...let's try this again, shall we? Who do you work for?" "They sent me to eliminate you, Cervantes Selestino", revealed Muto sternly. They did not seem particularly moved by that display of power, although there was a slight change in their countenance. Nevertheless, they spoke the truth, for they wore their combat uniform rather than the elegant more suitable for the duty of an emissary. But why had they not attacked yet? "However, I decided to evaluate you first", they said, their fan still concealing their mouth. "Because I was curious. Why a man so arrogant, so cruel, so violent, would adopt such a fragile, harmless thing, and call her his daughter. Why?" Their behaviour was altered slightly, but noticeably, just by the fact of staying in Hueco Mundo for an extended period of time. Grimmer than usual, more intense. And there was another change now, instigated no doubt by Selestino's usage of an acquired Aspect of Death. Muto's eyes were narrowed, their colourless lips pressed into a thin line. "I must know, and I shall obtain the answer, one way or another!", they raised their voice uncharacteristically, a dangerous glint in their cerise eyes, as they swung their gunsen to the side. Their spiritual pressure welled up, but it was not the same kind of display as the Arrancar's prior. Whilst the faint royal purple aura spread across the room like a gentle breeze, the feeling it carried was soft, unoppressive, one could say, pleasant. But there was, indeed, some sort of perceptible, unsteady fluctuation within its signature. Muto glared at the Arrancar, and the corner of their lips twitched ever so slightly. "Dream, Kachō Fūgetsu!" Act 2 Only now did they properly announce the realese of their Shikai, which they had actually performed in a subtle manner a while before. Gradually, Muto had been building up the illusory effects of the Zanpakutō's special ability, barely noticeable. However, as they swung the gunsen at the pair of Arrancar, they were intensified in a far more obvious manner. There was neither an infernal blaze, though, nor an icy wind, nor a tempest; rather, their surroundings seemed to become faint, indistinct, blurry, as if some sort of mist clouded their senses. And, depending on their mental resistance to such influence, Muto themself would seem less threatening than they objectively would, the sense of danger dulled somewhat as well. Those were the effects of Kunpū, the ability that slowly but surely pulled the affected into an ethereal, languid world of dreams. But that was not the end. Muto lifted their free hand, and from within their arm warmer emerged a small, golden trinket attached with a chain to a bracelet; an eight-pointed star. Different from the crosses wielded by the Quincy of the Wandreich, yet one that served the exact same purpose. After a flash of light a spirit weapon manifested in Muto's hand: a purple short bow composed of highly condensed Reishi, its gently curved limbs adorned with plumes. In one hand, a Zanpakutō, in the other, a Heilig Bogen, and what it fired were no ordinary arrows. For each projectile that burst forth from the weapon was a relatively thick, arrow-shaped , each emitting the distinct sound upon launch. They were all unleashed in a broad arc rather than directly at Cervantes, although their trajectories would change sharply mid-flight, and all of them seemed to eventually converge upon... Roka. "Show me what you hide beneath that "mask" of yours, Cervantes Selestino!", exclaimed Muto. The young Arrancar woman could not hope to have reacted in time to the arrow-like projectiles, having assumed that her master would either deflect or shield them, but instead they all converged upon her as if her master weren't even on Muto's radar. Her eyes widened in shock, and she instinctively took a step back as if to hopelessly flee from the arrows, but such an attempt would simply be in vain. The first few arrows struck her directly in the stomach and chest area, exploding with enough force to rend her already fragile Hierro into nothing. Blood splattered all around her surrounding area, a yell of agony breaching through her mouth as she helplessly tried to grasp the burnt and scarred area on her torso to quell the pain. As fate would have it, she would not get the time to even do that, for the rest of Muto's arrows continued to assault the defenseless Arrancar. They would strike her arms, legs, the same chest and stomach area, and one in particular blasted the right side of her face, nearly shattering the remnants of her Hollow mask. Each impact yielded an explosion identical to the last, and finally, after what seemed like hours of tormented yells and pleading for it to stop, Roka's back pressed up against the wall behind her, and she slowly slumped onto the floor. A trail of blood smeared along this wall as she slumped down, her uniform burned and scarred to bits, and her tear-stained eyes dulled and lifeless, but before the light completely left them, they gazed up at Muto. It was a look of pain, sure, but more notably, it was a look of confusion and grief. "Why me...?" Her head slumped down, its weight causing the rest of her body to fall over on its side. Roka Paramia was dead. But Muto would not have time to react. In their bid to get some form of reaction out of Cervantes, they had shifted their focus to his female companion instead, leaving them perfectly open and exposed. Just as the life left Roka's eyes, Muto would be set upon by a fierce and devastating explosion that seemed to have detonated just an inch or so from their chest. Such a powerful blast would be the equivalent of a human getting hit by a car going at full speed, and blast the assassin through the building wall and onto the vast and endless stretches of sand that Hollowkind called "home." It was a technique used by Cervantes whose preparation and execution are only foreseeable by looking at one's eyes, and for Cervantes, no such sign or hint would be given due to his mask. The "Cero Córnea." He approached the large hole in the wall created by Muto's departure very calmly and casually, seemingly having disregarded the corpse of Roka Paramia without a care in the world. "How curious..." He began as he came to the hole, looking out towards Muto as he spoke. "You say that you were sent to kill me and you instead target my poor assistant. That's twice now you've wasted your opportunity to slay me, as you were ordered." Cervantes then narrowed his gaze down upon Muto, clenching his left fist as a crimson aura briefly enveloped him. "It seems that "The Coven" has poor qualifications for what makes an assassin. If you wanted to kill me, you should have done it before you started talking." With that, an indigo-colored sphere of energy formed in the center of Cervantes' mask, before releasing a narrow "Cero" beam to Muto's left. Upon making impact with the ground, the Cero would create a large column of explosive energy, before it would slash horizontally towards Muto, aiming to seemingly cut them in half. The explosion triggered by the blast would now become a massive wall of fire and smoke, no doubt destroying anything and anyone within its reach. I have misjudged him. For a while Muto lay in the depression their fall had formed in the side of a white dune, their fixed at the pitch-black vault of Hueco Mundo's sky. They were panting, owing to the blow they had sustained, but paid little heed to the pain. Because they had misjudged the target, and the situation. Did Father not tell them to eliminate that man? Surely, he had a good reason to do so. So, why did they let their curiosity get the better of them? Why were they so desperate to discover the nature of that peculiar, ostensible inconsistency in Cervantes's behaviour? Why did they actually fire upon the hapless Arrancar woman, somehow expecting that the arrogant man would protect his companion? They were not thinking clearly. Cervantes Selestino boasted the power to invoke abilities of long-dead Espada, and doubtlessly had used one of them to affect Muto. Oh, the irony; they were so used to manipulating others with both words, and the help of their Zanpakutō, that they did not consider the possibility of an enemy repaying in kind. And now, for that reason, they had stained their hands with the blood of an innocent, caught in the crossfire of a conflict that should not have taken place in such manner. Suddenly, they lifted both of their legs, shifted their weight, and landed on both feet. As the explosion of Cervantes's Cero was about to engulf them, they rebounded from the sand with a momentary, ring-like flash of light beneath them. So they were propelled high into the air, like a rocket rising toward the outer space. An instinctual reaction to danger, honed throughout countless arduous sparring sessions, as well as numerous skirmishes fought across genuine battlefields. There was a crack in their mind, a self-induced wound, as it were, but there was no time to consider the consequences of their severe lapse in judgement. After all, they had been sent to dispose of the man, and now that they discovered that beneath the mask was nothing but emptiness, they simply had to complete that mission. " ", their voice was flat. Supercharged explosive arrows were launched from their spirit bow, one after another, in a rapid-fire burst. But that was merely the opening move, something to occupy the Arrancar's attention. Their gunsen was folded, and short blades jutted out from its ribs. Whilst Cervantes would deal with several homing projectiles, Muto approached him promptly with an abrupt burst of speed to impale him in the chest in one extremely swift, fluent motion... yet that was but an apparition of spiritual pressure. The real Muto slid toward their target from a flank, as if ice-skating in the air, leapt to the side, and seemingly lost balance at the crucial moment. However, this time the misstep was carefully calculated, allowing them to perform a broad, diagonal upward slash from a far less predictable angle. Afterward, a graceful rotation to transition into a twisting swing, then a flurry of quick slashes, each of them altered with a subtle flick of the wrist mid-attack. They were not furious, nor did they despair, but they acted with the focus and speed of a laser beam. "Is that grief I sense in you, Muto?" Cervantes pondered aloud as he braced himself for the onslaught of arrows. While his body was still coated in a dense layer of Hierro, more than enough to defend from even the mightiest of attacks, he was never a man to take any risks during battle, especially when facing an opponent as versatile as Muto. A particularly dense layer of energy was focused into his right hand, keeping it flat as if it were a blade, before using it to deflect the oncoming arrows away from him. Swatting them out of the air like they were gnats, the arrows would fly harmlessly off into the distance, causing either large explosions within the various dunes, or striking another building and causing them to crumble into the sand. "That's rather unbecoming of an assassin, wouldn't you ag-ACK!!" The masked Arrancar began, continuing to deflect the arrows before he suddenly found his sentence being cut off as an arrow struck the side of his head, causing him to briefly recoil and briefly growl in pain. He seemed to have paused, as if his confident demeanor had taken a serious blow and simply couldn't process the fact that he had actually taken a hit. How was this possible? He could see every arrow that Muto fired at him, predict and calculate exactly when to deflect them, all while carefully predicting where and when Muto would inevitably move to strike him. So how then was Muto able to take him off guard like this? As he was distracted with these thoughts, the arrow that had managed to strike him, now embedded into the floor of the building in which he stood, exploded with enough force to blast him out of the building. He managed to land on his feet of course, but he still couldn't shake the fact that he had actually been struck. Upon feeling the wound on his head with his hand, the former of which was now causing blood to leak down his white mask, he was able to discern the problem: His vision appeared to be getting blurry, and the more he thought about it, the more he realized that the rest of his senses were starting to feel... off. "It's their Zanpakutō..." He quickly discerned, realizing that Muto had activated their Shikai during their initial conversation. How clever of them; they were turning out to be even more full of surprises than he initially anticipated, but it wouldn't take long for him to decide his next course of action; if he just killed the owner, the effect would cease to be. But at the same time, he couldn't help but feel like there was more to be gained from this Muto character, more to learn, and perhaps more to acquire for his own use. Getting closer to Cervantes would be Muto's first mistake, for they had not realized that their Arrancar opponent's currently active Aspect of Death was no longer the "Intoxication" he had used earlier, but one that served to perfectly counter the tactics of an assassin. Just as they would enter Cervantes' personal space, they would find that Cervantes' form seemed to have become a blur, appearing directly on Muto's left with speed that was nigh inconceivable, even to one such as them. Hoping to use this seemingly instant increase in movement to throw his would-be assassin off, Cervantes moved to land a powerful punch directly into Muto's stomach, one that would shatter the interior of most opponents. If that weren't enough, while his fist would be embedded in their stomach, he would release an even stronger blast of pure concussive energy from it directly into Muto's body. This technique served as an extension of his Hierro in which the energy that composed it could be discharged into devastating concussive blasts, causing even more damage to his opponent and, should it be successful, would blast them into the side of a distant building not unlike the one where this conflict began. Assuming either of these two strikes landed, Cervantes would follow them up with yet another Cero Córnea, creating a violent, indigo-colored explosion where his foe would have landed, destroying the building and creating a massive upheaval of fire and sand. As for how Cervantes somehow managed to avoid the merciless assault of what was clearly a well-trained assassin? The explanation could be found in the crimson aura that surrounded Cervantes just after he had blasted Muto out of the first building. Cervantes' "Aspect of Death" ability, more specifically the Aspect of Death in particular that he was using, would be signified by the color of the aura that encompassed him whenever he activated the ability via clenching his left hand into a fist. As the last aura used was a light crimson, it would signify that Cervantes was now actively channeling the aspect of "Time", one that granted him the abilities of the former Segunda Espada; Barragarn Louisenbairn. It would be like repeating history in a way, for there was once a time when a master assassin had once challenged the now deceased Espada and found that, despite all her skill and speed, she could never match the Espada in speed, for the immediate area around him was a time-field that slowed all movement of those who entered within it's vicinity. And now, Muto would find that they were now in the exact same boat as the former Stealth Force Captain. Having not anticipated such a development, Muto had barely a fraction of a second to react. Too little to escape retaliation outright, but, owing to their sharp reflexes, just enough to react. They sustained the blow to their abdomen, and the aftershock did send them flying toward a distant building. However, they were able to spin mid-flight to re-orient themselves, then used a speed-amplifying impulse to avoid the Cero Córnea that followed. Whilst the structure behind them was being obliterated by a potent explosion, they stood in the air on miniature Reishi platforms, staring down their opponent. A part of their uniform was torn off, exposing their highly toned abdominal muscles, singed, and glowing. Glowing with the internal light of , which subsided quickly. "You are wrong", they said. "I am not an assassin. I am a harbinger. We strive to create a world of peace and unity. And for people like you... people who would let their companion die so callously... there is no place in that world." Abruptly, Muto unfolded their gunsen and swung it at Cervantes in order to stir up a gust of Kunpū. Immediately afterward, they fired several Bala-infused arrows in quick succession, only to shimmer into nonexistence. Sliding across the black sky with fluent, controlled motions, they repeated the manoeuvre a few times, each time preceding the burst of energy projectiles with another dose of their Shikai's entrancing effect. They were not a power-oriented fighter, and relied primarily on a combination of mobility and ingenuity to overcome their opponents. Faced with an especially formidable, versatile one, they needed some time to figure out an efficient strategy. So, they kept their distance, continuously aggravated the hallucinatory effects of Kachō Fūgetsu, and pelted the Arrancar with volley after a volley. And then, during a high-speed manoeuvre no different than the earlier ones, they swung their Zanpakutō with significantly greater ferocity. "Cero!" From an arc of purple light erupted a veritable tidal wave of destructive energy, intended to engulf Cervantes whole. Wasting no time in a naive attempt to ascertain the success of that attack, Muto promptly withdrew a considerable distance. While attentive, they focussed more on calming their thoughts, and analysing the situation. They were not, and should not be emotionless, but to let emotions cloud their judgement would be a grave mistake. It had been a grave mistake. "Oh come now, Muto." Cervantes responded with a somewhat lighter tone, holding his hands out expressively. "You give me far too much credit for such a thing. I was convinced that your arrows were intended for me, and I braced myself accordingly. But you, however, deceived me, and instead went after my poor, defenseless daughter. Surely, one so sadistic and cruel could not possibly understand what it takes to create a world of peace..." He finished, the sarcasm in his voice abundantly apparent. It was at that point that Muto had unleashed their volley of attacks, but unbeknownst to the hybrid, Cervantes had discovered a potential secret in countering the effects of their Kunpū ability. He had previously wondered how the illusion-based effects of Kunpū had taken so long to start affecting him, for it was clear that Muto was adept in the use of their weapon and would have started applying it as soon as possible. Then he realized that the "Time Field" around him not only could serve to hinder physical threats, but illusion-based ones as well, especially ones whose effects are carried through things such as gusts of wind, as Kunpū did. Using this, he now believed that he had developed a perfect counter to his opponent's tactics. As Muto's assault commenced, Cervantes held up his left hand and clenched it into a fist once more, creating a sudden black and red smoke to briefly flicker around him. "Respira..." The Arrancar commanded lowly. As he did so, a rather large pulsation of Spiritual Energy erupted from his form, but not only were this pulsation indigo in color as were the rest of his Spiritual-based attacks, it was also coated in a highly erratic, red electricity as well. Upon releasing this pulsation, Muto would find that their Bala-arrows, as well as the illusion-based effect that they sought to overwhelm him with, had started to decompose and, after a second or so, completely vanish. This was because Cervantes had combined the corrosive effects of "Respira" with his Spiritual pulsations, allowing him to achieve the same rotting effect without having to sustain the hideous black cloud. In addition, his goal now was no longer to kill Muto, but rather, learn more about them. It was then that Muto's Cero would find it's way to Cervantes, but this potent energy blast would find itself meeting the same fate as the Bala had just seconds prior. Focusing the energy of Respira directly in front of him, Cervantes simply walked into the Cero, which began to violently corrode and disintegrate upon making contact with this psuedo barrier of his. Thousands of violet-colored sparks of energy showered the area behind him as he eventually dispersed the entire blast, and just as he did, he almost instantly appeared mere inches from Muto's right, facing the opposite direction as the hybrid. "No... I think that deep down, you understand more than I..." He began in a low, almost menacing voice, placing his right hand on Muto's shoulder as he held his head close to the hybrid's ear. Fortunately, there was nothing dangerous about this motion; Muto would not find their arm becoming brittle or rotten away, for Cervantes' attention now was more focused on simply gauging Muto's mind, like the latter had tried to do to him earlier. Of course, the "time field" was still active, giving Cervantes ample time to react to any sudden action that Muto would try to perform on him. "You understand that, no matter how hard you try, how hard you search, how many people you spare, peace is not something that can be attained without war." He continued. "You claim to be above me, but if we truly look at it, you and I are no different. We both seek a world in which conflict and strife will be irrelevant, unnecessary, but we both know there are those who will stand in the way of such righteous goals..." His finishing words carried a particular emphasis in his tone. "... and thus they must be eliminated. Am I incorrect?" Just when he was about to finish his speech, Cervantes would find his hand somehow phase through the hybrid's shoulder, only for their whole body to disperse in a flash of shed spirit particles. The effect was harmless, but had allowed Muto to move away from the Arrancar the moment he approached them. After all, they had a few tricks up their sleeve, as well. They stood with their legs bent in anticipation, their Zanpakutō in one hand, their bow in the other. A couple of loose strands jutted out from their dishevelled fringe, but their gaze continued to be as focussed as ever. "Those who are worthy shall live in a world of eternal peace", they stated firmly. "Those who are unworthy shall be eliminated. Swiftly, painlessly. I do not derive pleasure from violence. The needless cruelty you display when you mutilate your victims, when you play mind games, deceive, and torment, is disgusting." Muto was the one who murdered the hapless Arrancar woman, but their decision to do so was far from being rational and unaffected. Their resultant shock was profound, but brief. They had a mission to accomplish, so all other considerations were secondary. But how would they penetrate the time-warping field that their enemy had fashioned around himself? Barrages of very fast projectiles were dissolved before they could hit; so was a sweeping blast of devastating energy. Given the acuteness of his movements, even the sedating property of Kunpū seemed ineffective. Even though Muto could swat away most of their opponents with a single strike, they knew weakness. They were perfectly aware that there were many hostile beings in this nightmarish world, more powerful than them, more intelligent than them, more experienced than them, and yet, that did not discourage them in the slightest. Their resolve was unvawering, so they persevered. First, they formed another decoy from the spirit particles they shed from their body, a tangible simulacrum possessed of identical spiritual pressure, if momentary. After all, it was a distraction, as they once again employed their unique high-speed movement technique to slide around Cervantes. A web of light illuminated their flesh from within as they activated , and, one after another, unleashed three consecutive explosive arrows the power and velocity of which far surpassed the earlier ones. However, that was the second distraction. The following arrows pelted the area surrounding the Arrancar, rather than target him directly. Because, if Muto understood his ability correctly, his force field rapidly aged whatever passed through it into nonexistence. Phenomena as transient as spirit arrows or blasts of spiritual energy were doomed to disappear within an instant; but what about a shower of hyper-speed grains of quartz, each of which could be billions of years old, and remain unchanged at all? That, was the third distraction. For when Cervantes would be immersed by the eruptions of sand, Muto hastily grabbed a piece of rubble, considerably larger than them. With one Blut Arterie-empowered arm, their bow temporarily dispelled, they transformed it into an impromptu supersonic projectile, intended to further test the extent of Cervantes's abilities, at the very least. For while they could not match the meagre grains of sand, the buildings of Hueco Mundo were rumoured to last for thousands, if not millions of years. It was here that Muto would discover one of Cervantes' most potent abilities. He had begun to lose patience with the hybrid's persistence in fighting him, for he was far more interested in learning more about the faction from which Muto originated from, the ones who were so desperate to have him killed. He was so busy thinking about this, that he barely even paid any heed to the hybrid's tactics for the most part, up until Muto fired the three arrows and created the massive upheaval of sand. While Muto had correctly assumed that the Time Field would hardly have any effect on the sands of Hueco Mundo, or the buildings for that matter, it was not the ability that Cervantes would need to use to counter these tactics. For Cervantes was capable of manipulating Reishi just as Muto and any other Quincy could, but here, in his home of Hueco Mundo, his talent for this ability exceeded any and all expectations. Everything in this realm, from the sand to the buildings, was all pure Reishi, and while most could use that simply for ammunition, Cervantes' knowledge in the art of harnessing Reishi granted him the power to manipulate and alter the very fabric of the world that they inhabited. His connection with Hueco Mundo allowed him to manipulate the endless stretches of Reishi around them in ways no ordinary Quincy could ever hope to. Muto would be able to witness this ability first-hand, as the sand that they initially blew up in order to distract Cervantes would suddenly converge towards the masked Arrancar, before forming into a perfectly-shaped sphere of sand around him. The boulder that Muto threw at Cervantes would shatter almost immediately upon making contact with the sphere, for the sphere of sand was now more or less hyper-condensed Reishi, but this was not the only thing Cervantes would do with such a powerful technique. Almost as quickly as the boulder shattered did the sphere of sand sprout several hundred thorn-like protrusions all around it's surface, before firing these protrusions outward as extremely fast, deadly projectiles that would strike everything around Cervantes with speeds comparable to that of bullets shot from firearms. Hoping that this would throw Muto off for just enough, Cervantes would then reach out and use one of his most dreaded Reishi-based techniques; "Blut Biegen". Aiming the utilize the Reishi that Muto had used to empower their "Blut Arterie" just seconds earlier, Cervantes would essentially take control of the corresponding arm and, hoping that the sudden shock of having control of their arm wrested from them would prevent them from using any more tactics or escaping, use it to wrap around Muto's back and firmly grasp their other arm in order to hold them both in place behind their back. Whether or not this tactic would work, Muto would also find that the sand underneath them would shoot up around them abruptly, before quickly moving to trap the hybrid within it's grasp from their shoulders down. If it were successful, the sand would hyper condense around them, making any form of escape virtually impossible without sufficient force. "Now then..." Cervantes would begin. "...do you think you have the time to answer some questions for me?" Act 3 Cervantes's technique would indeed prove to be quite a hindrance, and an effective distraction. Even though seizing control of Muto's arm was not nearly as easy as dominating a meagre Quincy Soldat, as the hybrid was struggling with their unruly limb they suddenly found themself entrapped by the highly condensed sand the Arrancar used to enclose and bind their body. With only their head protruding from that peculiar mound, they seemingly had little choice but to once again glare at their opponent. The truth was slightly different, although now that Muto could think clearly again, they decided to play along for the time being. Cervantes's persistence in his inquiries about the Coven was intriguing. Muto was in no hurry, and fighting a war of attrition was not exactly to their disadvantage. Perhaps there was still some valuable information to be gained from discussing certain matters with the man, before they would resume their primary mission. "What makes you think that you deserve any answers, Arrancar?", they asked in an icy tone. "Is that just your delusion of grandeur? Or the fact you have managed to bind me? Do you think that maiming, or tormenting me will earn you the right to know? I believe I have already explained enough for you to realise the folly of your approach." They awaited the response, patiently bracing themself for their next move. Cervantes simply chuckled, now standing just a couple of feet away from the captured hybrid. "Your words wound me, my honored foe." He started, his right hand mockingly pressed against his own chest as if he had been struck. "While I may be... creative in my methods of disposal, I am no torturer; a prisoner will admit to anything if they are put through enough pain, so I find it to be a very poor method in acquiring information." He then leaned forward just a little bit, his voice becoming lower in tone. "Besides, I already know more than enough about you and your 'Coven' friends as it is." His head tilted to his left somewhat, as if he were glancing at something behind him. "Roka, my beautiful daughter, you have done well." Sure enough, from behind Cervantes and out of Muto's view emerged the petite form of Roka Paramia, her form completely untouched and free of any signs of wounds or damage. "Thank you... it brings me joy to know I am of use to you... master." The Arrancar woman said quietly with a slight blush, her hands held together gently in front of her. The cerise eyes of Muto widened considerably. Half-consciously they sent out an inquisitive impulse of spiritual pressure to verify what said eyes had seen, and what their ears had heard. Was that an illusion? No. There was no doubt about it: the person who stood beside the bemasked man was the very woman Muto thought they had inadvertently killed. So, was that an illusion? The answer was negative, as well. All senses at the hybrid's disposal, including the spiritual one, were extraordinarily acute. That was confirmation enough. As to the methods employed behind the scenes in order for this to transpire, they had no idea nor brainpower to deliberate upon, for they were overcome with emotions. "You live...", they whispered. The mask of composure they had regained moments ago cracked again. Their eyes teared up noticeably, and their lips twitched. Shock, relief, embarrassment, indignation, all welled up within their mind into a veritable tempest of emotions. This time it was not caused by some sort of special ability, a form of mind manipulation, but was a genuine reaction instead. They thought they had stained their hands with the blood of an innocent, but somehow, that turned out not to be the case. Such a revelation should assauge their grief and feeling of guilt, however, they perceived the situation from a broader, more complex perspective. They lowered their head for a short while, silent. Then, they lifted it again, and their face expression was once again largely emotionless, if slightly austere. "Is that so?", they asked with a silky voice. "If that is the case, then why even ask me any questions? Is there perchance any gap that you would like me to fill?", the tone of their voice made it difficult to discern whether they were threatening, mocking, or merely inquiring. The masked Arrancar could not help but chuckle loudly upon seeing Muto's reaction; it was as if the entire ordeal with Roka was simply a game to him, wanting to poke and prod at the assassin's conscious and mental well-being with something that he knew would upset them. "You seem surprised, dear Muto." He said, still chuckling to himself somewhat. "You didn't think I would just let my dear Roka be ripped apart like that without some sort of contingency, did you?" The Arrancar continued before putting his hand on Roka's shoulder. "Should she ever be slain, Roka is capable of 'rebirthing' herself, so to speak. Actually, that may not be the proper term. I believe a better way to describe it is that she creates a 'back-up' of herself." He looked back at the female Arrancar, patting her shoulder a couple of times. "Of course, the poor thing still feels every sting, every stab and every burn wound that would be inflicted upon her, but she has a will of iron; it would take far more than what you or I could ever dish out to make her truly fall apart." His attention finally turned back to Muto. "She is also capable of gathering information at an accelerated rate, and she has been feeding every bit of it that she recovers to me since our little scrap began." He went on, walking around the captured assassin in a calm, casual manner. "I must say, I misjudged this 'Coven' of yours, quite heavily in fact. With you as an example, I assumed that they were simply another rabid dog, desperate to put their pathetic stick in the ground and gain control over all existence... but from what I've learned, they are and can be so much more." He came around to face Muto's front once again. "I think that we both could stand to gain from a potential... partnership, wouldn't you agree?" Muto furrowed their brow in response to his words, and moved restlessly to what little extent their bindings allowed. They continued staring at him for a while, then glanced at Roka before they made any verbal reply. "Partnership", they spat out. "What could we possibly gain from an alliance with you, Arrancar? A rabid dog who mauls people indiscriminately in the name of his delusions? You must be aware of the kind of impression you make upon others, unless your mask is indication of a blindness more profound than simple sightlessness of the eyes." "I can assure you, dear Muto..." Cervantes began, placing a hand earnestly to his chest. "While my methods do tend to be rather... excessive, my goals are all in the right place." He turned around to where his back was now facing Muto, staring up into the sky in an idle fashion. "Tell me this then, Muto." He started. "If you could see that the world around you was fundamentally flawed, down to it's very core, and you had the power to not only fix every single one of those flaws, but also completely rebuild the world's foundations to your liking and make it absolutely perfect..." His head would turn to where it was barely glancing at the hybrid. "... would you not do everything in your power to do so?" Cervantes then abruptly spun back around to face Muto once more, not giving them a chance to immediately respond. "Of course you would. I've seen it in your eyes Muto. The way you move, the way you fight, the way your eyes lit up upon seeing my daughter alive and well. You take no pleasure in killing, and I'm sure that you find these wretched wars to be just as pointless and senseless as I do." He continued to speak, idly moving his sheathed sword around with his left hand. "Yes, I am cruel to those who oppose me, but those who oppose me also oppose the peace that I seek to bring. They wish to maintain the status quo, one which relies on a constant struggle for power in which innocent souls and loyal soldiers are forced to fight and die; a perpetual cycle of death and despair." He held up his left fist, clenching it tightly as the resolve could be heard firmly in his voice. "Until now, there was no end in sight for this cycle, one of endless struggles for power and dominance. But now... now, that end is here, and it is me. It can be us, together. United, you, the Coven and I can bring about a world whose future is bright and clear. A grateful future." Muto flinched when addressed by Cervantes in that particular manner, but said nothing. They continued watching him, and listening to his speech, with an arcane face expression. Deep down, however, they were confused, and scared. There was something acutely disturbing about the man. His words, his tone, his ideology, his methods. All the things he had done so far were highly perplexing, although, in the end, Muto's conclusion remained the same. "No", they said. "There is a fine line between one who endeavours to shape the world into a better place, and one who would rather maim it in his own twisted image. You have crossed that line. You, you, you. I believe I have already told you so, Arrancar", they continued in a frigid tone, all the while glowing lines spread from underneath their confines, across their neck, and then face. "You are unworthy." Even their eyes shone with the internal glow of Blut Arterie. For they had been, slowly but surely, accumulating spirit particles from the very hyper-condensed sand that bound them, and circulating them across their immobilised body. This time, though, they made sure to assert dominance over every single one of them, so that they maintained full control. And, eventually, with a single impulse, they obliterated their confines in an abrupt detonation. Whilst the shock wave swept across the area, causing a miniature sandstorm to briefly engulf the two Arrancars, Muto themself landed a moderate distance away. Their legs spread slightly, arms lowered to the sides of their torso, their Zanpakutō held in one hand. Illuminated from within, they glared at Cervantes from beneath lowered brows. "I shall not suffer you live", they declared. Their spiritual pressure manifested in the form of a whirlwind that enveloped their diminutive, lithe form, wreathed in discharges of electricity caused by its augmented intensity. The short blades which protruded from the ribs of Kachō Fūgetsu retracted into them, and the hybrid folded their fan. Subsequently, they lifted their arm above their head. "Bankai!", they exclaimed... Act 4 ... only to be cut short, for someone grabbed their hand, and prevented them from completing the release. The grip was firm, but not painful at all. After a moment of shock, Muto stared at the one who dared stop them, and any traces of tranquil fury seemed to evaporate from them within an instant. That was a person they were very familiar with. "Father...?" "Now, now, that is quite enough, my child", said the man. "Do not let emotions cloud your judgement." He was possessed of stature to match the towering Arrancar, if not his appearance. An olive-skinned, middle-aged man clad in an elegant, ornate white-and-black kimono. Austere, his features were also inhumanly symmetrical and imposing, resembling more some sort of statue, or another idealised portrayal of a Human rather than an ordinary living being. His long, greying jet black hair matched the pitch-black sclerae of his otherwise scarlet eyes, marred but not blinded by two intersecting scars. And, notably, there was a sheathed attached to his sash; a Zanpakutō. "While it is true that I have sent you to eliminate this man, remember, I know you better than anyone", he explaied to Muto as he let their arm go, and gently patted their head. "I fully expected you to attempt to evaluate him first, and I did indeed suspect you would find his complexity... confusing. So, worry not, I shall take matters into my hands from this point onward." Muto remained silent, clearly bewildered. Meanwhile, the tall man took a step forward, and graced the two Arrancars with a kind-hearted, if slightly eerie, smile. "Allow me to introduce myself, Cervantes Selestino-ue, Roka Paramia-kun", he said with a polite bow. "My name is Hikaru Maebure, and I am the Anarch of the Coven." It was needless to say that Cervantes was surprised by this sudden arrival. He knew through the information that Roka fed into him that there was a leader for the Coven, but even then the information was cloudy, uncertain. But now, standing before them was that very leader; he could tell through the man's stature and just his sheer presence that he was far and away above Muto. And possibly himself. Composing himself quickly, Cervantes and Roka both gave the man a respectful bow. "Ah, I was not expecting the Anarch himself to grace us with his presence; we are honored." He said, this time with a surprisingly sincere tone. "Though, I must admit my lord, you have me at a disadvantage. Not only am I faced with my assassin, but the one who deployed said assassin as well." His hand, while still resting on his sword pommel, seemed to grab the weapon a tad more tightly. "You'll forgive me if I act a little too cautious." "Ah, yes", said Hikaru with a sagely nod. "My dear Muto was the one to confront you, although I am the one truly responsible for this little skirmish." The petite hybrid winced again. Meanwhile, the tall, inhuman man seemed unsettlingly tranquil, his arms hidden in the trailing sleeves of his regal kimono, held in front of his chest. There was no indication that he was about to attack the supposed target of an assassination mission he had dispatched Muto on, nor that he felt threatened by his very presence. Rather, he created the impression of a noble having an official audience. His spiritual pressure exerted a commanding aura, although to discern its nature was an impossibility. Somewhat similar to Muto's, yet distinct nonetheless. And ancient. "My apologies", he continued with a faint smile. "Sometimes, the intricacy of my schemes causes some unnecessary chaos to arise, and this time in particular I felt obliged to intervene in person. I am not here to engage in violence, however; I have come to negotiate the "partnership" that you mentioned, Selestino-ue." Instinctually hiding behind their Father, Muto covered their mouth with their fan, and gasped quietly. There was something wrong with the current situation, but they could not, and perhaps did not want to, identify the reason for that perceived wrongness. So many emotions, contradictions, factors beyond their knowledge or comprehension. That was too much for them, so they stood there, silently. "Right then..." Cervantes began cautiously, making sure to position himself to where he was standing between Hikaru and Roka. While he had just boasted earlier about his daughter's seemingly immortal nature, with one such as the Anarch in front of them, he could never be too sure; for all he knew, Hikaru could simply blink her out of existence with but a thought. "I imagine that you've already heard what my goals and desires for this world and all others are." He began. "I'll admit, for the uninitiated, they would seem very odd, downright dangerous in fact... but I believe them to be utterly true." His masked gaze then narrowed at the Anarch. "Did you feel threatened by these goals, Anarch?" "Threatened?", he chuckled in response, although there was an icy glint in his unusual eyes. "Why, no! Of course not. Similarly to my dear child, I merely had some reservations about your methods. However, no drastic change can occur without great sacrifice and a period of strife, sadly. With the blood of those who would oppose us we shall fertilise the soil, so that a new world order can grow strong upon it", he said solemnly whilst looking into the distance, as if he were an actor participating in some sort of play. "Naturally, each person approaches this issue in a different manner, and has got different ways of coping with that lamentable inevitability. It is important not to lose sight of the ultimate goal, however, for that is what matters the most." Muto continued switching their gaze between their Father, and the Arrancar man. Absent-mindedly, they held their gunsen high enough to cover their mouth, their wide-open eyes staring at the two from above the ornate cover. "Those who would fight tooth and nail to protect this cruel, nightmare world from us are many", remarked Hikaru, beholding Cervantes like one would a child, despite their matching heights. "People who would oppose them are few, and their assistance invaluable. As such, I am willing to condone your minor transgressions and excessiveness in recognition of your great vision. So, would you join us in this daring attempt to forge a better world, regardless of the hurdles we will have to overcome?" While the Anarch couldn't see it, Cervantes was grinning from ear to ear, practically beaming with joy over the fact that he had, possibly, found someone who shared the same mindset as he did. "I thought you would never ask." He responded calmly, but earnestly. While this was going on, Roka, similar to Muto, seemed to be rather apprehensive about this entire ordeal. Briefly, her eyes glanced towards those of Muto's, her violet orbs conveying a look not just of confusion, but of uncertainty. She followed her "father" no matter what, through any amount of danger, but up until now she thought his ambitions to be nothing more than the ramblings of a lunatic. But now? Now that lunacy had a chance to become reality. "Excellent", remarked Hikaru with another slightly unsettling smile, as if it were an actor's grimace rather than indication of genuine happiness. "Shinigami, Quincy, Arrancar, it matters not to me. Together, we shall mend this broken world." Muto lowered their Zanpakutō, which finally returned to its sealed form. They had been sent to simply eliminate a major threat, but experienced and witnessed many a confusing development. Most importantly of all, however, they could barely contain some sort of chilling anxiety that welled up within them. Because they had seen through the Arrancar's metaphorical mask, and sincerely judged him unworthy. And now, Father came to an agreement with that deranged man, two fellow visionaries striving to improve the world, no matter the cost. Where did the line lie? End of Chapter